KENTUCKY: New Track

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, though it
ranks among the states lowest in income and industry, employment and
education, has long stood at the very top in the successful use of its
political patronage system. To build up the power of incumbent
Democratic administrations, Kentucky's 23,000 state employees for years
were required to "contribute" 2% of their salaries to campaign war
chests. Under loudmouthed Governor (1935-39 and 1955-59) Albert
("Happy") Chandler, eight $7,200-a-year highway commissioners traveled
Kentucky's highways and byways dispensing jobs and rounding up votes;
so many weed cutters were hired by the highway department around
election time that Kentuckians...